Description: Ken Burns' nine-part documentary on baseball
examines the players, the games, and the baseball business. It
also provides revealing insights into U.S. social history by
showing how the development of baseball followed, and in some
cases led, changes in U.S. society as a whole.
The series
is divided into the following parts:

Benefits of the MovieandParenting Points: "Baseball" is an excellent way
to spark an interest in U.S. history classes among kids who are focused on sports. Some of the changes in society and in baseball
examined by this series include: racial integration; the widening
disparity between the lives of common people and the lives of
celebrities; the increasing freedom allowed to women; increased
violence; the immigration melting pot; labor/management
relations; and the advent of radio and television.
The series includes many original film clips of historical
value.

This movie is an excellent resource for filling up rainy days in physical education classes.

QUICK DISCUSSION QUESTION: What is the most pressing problem for baseball today and how does that relate to sportsmanship?
Suggested Response: There is no one right answer. Possibilities include: (1) the high salaries of the stars that dwarf what normal people make and separate them from their fans; (2) ski high ticket prices; and (3) competition from other, faster paced sports.

This is a documentary of massive scope. It provides its own historical background information.

Perhaps the most pressing problem in professional baseball today is to reconcile the multi-million dollar salaries with the idea of sportsmanship. Another big problem is the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.

2. There is something unique about baseball and its relationship with the U.S. and its people. What is it?

3. Ask your child if he or she knows some expressions which come from baseball. See who can name the most. [Examples: "play hard ball," "strike out," "get to first base," "get to second base," "get home," "home run," "hit that one out of the park," "grand slam," "it's in the ballpark," "rain check."

4. Why was baseball one of the first institutions in the United States to become racially integrated?

5. Why did Branch Ricki make Jackie Robinson promise not to fight back for two years?

1. What is the most pressing problem for baseball today and how does that relate to sportsmanship? Suggested Response: Perhaps the most pressing problem in professional baseball today is to reconcile the multi-million dollar salaries with the idea of sportsmanship. Another big problem is the use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.

For additional questions on Sportsmanship, see questions under the heading "Fairness" below.

Reminder to Teachers: Obtain all required permissions from your school administration before !

Character Counts and the Six Pillars of Character are marks of the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition, a project of the Josephson Institute of Ethics.

Bridges to Reading: Ken Burns and Geoffrey C. Ward, have written
a book called "Baseball: An Illustrated History" based on their
painstaking research for the documentary series. The book
includes photographs from the series.

MOVIES ON RELATED TOPICS: See all movies in the Movie List
relating to Baseball.

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